Friendship is good but love is magic
by vic elor
Summary: Fluttershy invites a new resident of Ponyville over to discuss some strange new feelings shes been having.


Fluttershy was happy to see it was Alan at the entrance to her cottage when she answered the knocking on her door.

"I'm glad you could make it." Fluttershy said cheerfully before switching to a more somber tone, "It wasn't an inconvenience was it? I mean, if you're busy you don't have to stay. I probably shouldn't have bothered you I…."

"Fluttershy, please relax; Trust me, it was no problem coming to see you. In fact, I was happy to receive your note. As the only human in Equestria I get very few social calls. I think I freak you ponies out." Alan replied, stopping Fluttershy before she could ramble off into a self destructing rant.

"Oh, you don't freak me out. I think you're very kind looking." Fluttershy replied.

No one in Equestria really knew where Alan came from nor did Alan really understand how he managed to arrive in a world filled with talking ponies. He had been a student at a local university back on Earth and had fallen asleep during a lecture and awoken in a field outside a town that he now knew as Ponyville. That had been six months ago and though every attempt had been made to find a way to send Alan home, the new spells and contraptions to try out where coming slower and fewer later. As of late Alan had begun to prepare himself for the fact that he may be stuck in this strange world for some time.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say." Alan replied.

"Oh, it's the truth. You're always so nice to everyone and you smile all the time and…"

"You don't have to explain it to me Fluttershy, I'll take you at your word."

"Oh, sorry. I guess I just wasn't thinking." Fluttershy replied as she blushed and looked away before making a motion inviting Alan to take a seat on her couch.

"So," Alan asked as he cautiously sat down, still having to take into account all the slight differences in furniture designed for ponies rather then humans, "You note sounded urgent. What is it that you need to talk to me about?"

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing." Fluttershy admitted as she sat down next to Alan.

"That's alright, you know you can trust me. I won't tell anyone anything you tell me in confidence."

"Oh, I know. It's just something I don't really know how to say without sounding foolish."

"Well, just give it a try. I'm sure it's not as bad or as foolish sounding as you think it is."

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked

"Well, I obviously can't know for certain until you tell me but if I had to guess I'd say it's probably something perfectly normal. If you're not comfortable telling me about it though maybe you should talk to Twilight about it. Isn't that who you would normally go to for advice?"

"Oh no…. I mean, yes that is who I normally ask for advice and she gives very good advice but…. I think its best if I ask you about this." Fluttershy explained, noticeably flustered by the suggestion of talking to Twilight.

"Ok, well maybe you should just tell me what it is you want to say." Alan said softly, knowing he had to tread lightly when dealing with Fluttershy.

"Ok….Well, have you ever had a strange feeling when you saw someone?"

"Like a premonition?"

"Oh no, not that kind of feeling… a feeling feeling."

"Like anger or sadness or what?"

"No, not a bad feeling. A sort of happy feeling, all bubbly and excited."

"You mean like how Pinkie Pie acts everyday towards everyone?"

"Well, no not exactly." Fluttershy said with a sigh, "Maybe it's not really important."

"No no no, it's important otherwise you wouldn't have asked me to come over. Just try again and I'll try extra hard to understand what you're saying."

"Alright. Have you ever seen someone and suddenly felt happy, happier then you've ever been before and for no reason other then just because you've seen this person."

"A sort of bubbly happy feeling when you're around them that makes you feel sort of silly and giddy?" Alan asked.

"Yes, exactly!"

"And you feel sad when they leave and you just want to go find them again but you think they'll think you're foolish?"

"Yes!"

"And you hope and wonder if maybe they get the same feelings as you when they see you but you're afraid to ask?"

"Yes, that's exactly the feeling!" Fluttershy said loudly with a note of glee on her face, "You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Fluttershy, I think you're talking about falling in love with someone." Alan explained softly, unsure how she would react to his explanation.

"I wasn't sure at first but after a while that's what I thought too, I just wanted to know I wasn't going crazy." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Is it Twilight? Are you in love with Twilight Sparkle?" Alan asked with an artificial smile intended to try and make Fluttershy feel safe, "Is that why you didn't want to talk to her about this?"

"Oh no, no not at all." Fluttershy stammered, a look of complete and honest surprise on her face, "I mean, Twilight is a wonderful friend and I'm sure she's a lovely mare but I like boys… and I think she does too."

"Oh, I'm sorry…. I didn't mean to insult you."

"No, I'm not insulted. I understand why you might have thought that was who I meant. I guess I just wasn't clear enough about who made me feel this way." Fluttershy explained, suddenly going from being defensive to trying to apologize.

Both Fluttershy and Alan were silent for a moment, the sound of animals playing outside in the afternoon sun floating in through the cottage's open window.

"So, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but I am kind of curious… who is it that you've fallen for?" Alan finally asked, tired of waiting for Fluttershy to address the elephant in the room.

"Oh my, I thought you understood…" Fluttershy mumbled, her face flushing a bright red before looking away in any direction except towards her houseguest.

"Understood what?" Alan asked, starting to wonder if Fluttershy meant what he was beginning to suspect she meant.

"It's not important…. Would you like some tea? I picked some fresh from my garden just before you arrived. I can go boil the water now. Why don't I go do that!" Fluttershy stated, practically tripping over her own words to try and get away from Alan.

"Fluttershy, stop!" Alan commanded, amazed to see the docile young lady stop immediately as if physically frozen by his words though still unable to look him in the eye, "Were you talking about how you feel about me?"

"It's silly of me. I should have just kept it to myself." Fluttershy replied meekly, hanging her head low.

"It's not silly. Now that it has become clear that I'm going to remain in Ponyville for the foreseeable future the idea of finding a companion has crossed my mind more then once. You see, humans are very social beings and naturally want to find a mate and I am no exception."

"Really?" Fluttershy said perking up, relieved that her interest hadn't been seen as outlandish.

"Obviously I needed to put some thought into who I should try and pursue so lately I've decided to figure out who would be most compatible with me."

"Oh, ok." Fluttershy said softly, broken hearted by how Alan wasn't simply jumping on her implied suggestion.

"Yes, well I would need to find a female who is smart and knowledgeable and likes to learn."

"Oh, well then I bet you and Twilight Sparkle would make a happy couple." Fluttershy said sadly, not wanting to look Alan in the face as he seemed to be explaining how he planed on asking out one of her friends.

"Yes, I thought so too… at first. I need a girl who lives in the real world though and Twilight is just too buried in her world of books. So I decided it would be best if I didn't try to pursue a romantic relationship with her and instead move in a new direction. In an ideal partner I would need someone feminine."

"Oh, well then Rarity would be the perfect pony for you. She's the most feminine pony I know." Fluttershy responded, pleased with herself at first before remembering that she had just suggested that the man she had feelings for should seek out a relationship with her friend rather then herself.

"Yes, again that was who I first thought of as well except femininity is no good when it's coupled with vanity and manipulation. You don't have to watch how she interacts with Spike for very long to see how she uses his crush on her to help her dig up gems or do other things she feels are beneath her."

"I guess that's true too."

"So, again another approach was needed. So I decided I should seek out someone fun and free spirited as a potential mate."

"That's Pinkie Pie without a doubt. Maybe you should date her?"

"You're right, she is definitely free spirited and fun but she's also manic and somewhat unstable and those things just don't work in **any** adult relationship."

"Oh, I didn't realize that those things were so important in a relationship." Fluttershy replied politely though still obviously sad.

"Oh, they are. Trust me. So I thought perhaps I should seek out someone more reliable and trustworthy."

"You mean Applejack, right? She once won an award for being the most reliable pony in Ponyville."

"Yes, I heard about that actually. I've also seen first hand how stubborn and single-minded she can be."

"Well, I guess that's true too. She wouldn't let anyone help her harvest her apples once because she had said she was capable of doing it by herself."

"Yes, so again I had to start over. Perhaps someone with plenty of energy to spread around and cares about her friends."

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Exactly, but she's just as stubborn as Applejack and really is too much of a loner to even want to be in a relationship with anyone."

"Except maybe one of the wonderbolts." Fluttershy suggested.

"True, but I'm not one of them." Alan answered with a smirk.

"I didn't mean to imply that you were. I was just saying…."

"I know what you meant, I was joking." Alan explained, "So my searches have placed me in quite a situation. To find the girl… pony of my dreams I'd need to find one who was smart but lives in the real world, feminine but not conceited, fun but stable, reliable but open minded, and someone with lots of energy for all her friends but still wants to have someone special in her life."

"That's a really big list. I don't think I've ever met anyone who fits all of those things except maybe princess Celestia but I don't know if she's looking for somepony."

"Well, there is a pony who fits every criteria on my list except the last one and I wasn't thinking of the Princess."

"Oh, whoever she is she must be a wonderful pony if she's all those things. I'd love to meet her sometime if you wouldn't mind." Fluttershy asked honestly, not understanding yet what Alan meant.

"You'd like her because she's absolutely perfect!"

"But I thought you said she didn't meet your last criteria?"

"Well, that was true up until you told me that you liked me and wanted to explore those feelings with me."

"I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean you're think I'm all of those things?" Fluttershy asked, both excited and embarrassed at the same time.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. So, if you would do me the honor I'd consider it a privilege to take you out on a date, perhaps starting tonight at Sugar Cube Corner?" Alan asked with a smile and blushing cheeks.

Alan was taken completely by surprise when Fluttershy placed a long, deep kiss on his lips.

"Oh my, I'm sorry!" Fluttershy eeped after calming down, "I don't know what came over me. I hope you're not angry with me…"

"So, can I take that as a yes?" Alan asked playfully.


End file.
